FINALLY!!!!!!

Okay!  Finally I can tell you why I have such news for you (said in my very best Yenta voice)!!!  Actually, I have 2 bits of news for you.  I'll tell them in order of when they happened so as not to put one item in a more prominent position than the other, because they are both very important and exciting events!!!

First of all, I am going to be a grandmother in January!!!  I couldn't tell you before now because the family wasn't informed yet (and her dad still doesn't know), and one of my kids reads my blog.  My younger daughter, Danielle is going to have a baby! She will not be returning to college in the fall as previously planned, but will go to hairdressing school.  This is something she was considering doing, and now that a baby is coming and college is 260 miles from home, this is a better altenative.  Plus, if she decides to continue her college education in a year or so, she can work as a stylist while attending school, and make a lot more money than she does now working at a clothing store.

A couple of weeks ago, we were in the "Oh Shit" phase, but now we're getting excited about it!  Things are sort up in the air where the boyfriend/father is concerned, since he lives clear across the state.  Once I know where all that stands, I'll update you.  Let's just say right now, it's a mess and leave it at that.

Dani is due January 19, 2011 and she'll be 20 years old when the baby arrives.

Last night, she talked to her step-mother about it and Maleficent will be there when Dani tells Daddy Dearest  next week.  And when Greg finds out that Maleficent has known for a week before he did, well.... she can deal with that!  I have to hand it to Dani though.  She wanted to tell each person in our family on her own and in person!  And she told me as soon as she suspected. That girl is fearless!!!

So that is news #1.  Now on to news #2.

Gina (my older daughter) threw her boyfriend, Gene a surprise 30th birthday party last night.  What Gina DIDN'T know was that Gene knew all about the party (except where it was being held) and decided to turn everything around on her and propose marriage to her, in front of all their friends!!  While Gina was in Ireland, Gene bought her engagement ring and it was kept safely at his mother's house.   Last week, while they were at Tim's graduation party at their dad's house, Gene told Greg, Tim and Dani about his plans.  Greg and I were not invited to his birthday party (most likely because the thought of me, her dad and Maleficent all being in one room together was too surreal to even imagine)  Rather than have to choose which one to invite she chose to not invite either of us (that's my guess anyway).  Last Sunday, Gene called me and told me.  He said he wanted us to be there when he proposes.  So, Greg, Maleficent and I all met outside the hall at 8pm last night.  We walked in together, and after a minute or so, Gina was quite surprised to see us standing there!  I told her we were crashing the party.  Gina says, "OK!!  You're just in time for cake!"

Just then,  Somebody yells, "Gene is going to make his birthday speech!!"  With that, he tells everyone that this party is NOT about his birthday, but this party is because today is the day that he and Gina get engaged!   With that her mouth dropped!!!  Gene got down on one knee (after taking a big swig of liquid courage, aka Stella Artois beer), and asked Gina to marry him!  I think she was actually speechless!!  She just nodded her head!! 

This was THE BEST PROPOSAL AND SURPRISE I've ever seen!!!  We're all so happy!  I just love Gene and his parents!  Now there's a wedding to plan and Daddy Dearest gets to pay for it!

So there you have it.  Sorry I couldn't say anything sooner, but Gina reads my blog and Dani wanted to tell her about the baby herself.   And Gina drove me crazy, making a bunch of guesses, but I couldn't tell her!